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Go to a sporting goods store and purchase a little bottle of 100% DEET repellent. Be sure to look at the contents, because it varies from 4 to 100% concentration. You only need a very little bit, (that's why the container is so small) and this is the best repellent on the market by far.

I use catnip oil. My husband got it for me b/c I was out running several times a week and he didn't want me applying DEET all the time. I actually laughed when it came in the mail, I am very skeptical of "alternative" products.

But since he paid for it, I told him I'd use it. And you know what? It worked! I actually saw the mosquitos fly up to me and then fly away. I took it on my trip to Alaska last summer and it worked great. The only thing it didn't repel was some biting flies, so I whipped out the DEET for that.

We use Deep Woods Off at home which also worked very well in Alaska last summer where the mosquitos appeared large enough to drive the car--perhaps they took a vacation from the blood of Portugal? There are two scents but I don't know the names--green can (original?) and an orange can which, to me, smells better.

Have heard some people swear by Avons Skin So Soft but haven't tried it.

Seriously, why is everyone so afraid of DEET? I have never heard of anyone personally having a reaction to the stuff. Would be very interested to hear of first hand accounts. I'm starting to think the sensitivity is all a bunch of ....mosquito doo doo.

I have tried so many brands, this is the only thing that works (for me).

Joan, I'll let you in on a little secret...ssssh...I hope no one is listening...I'm not a natural red head. Shocking, I know. Sadly, I am slowly becoming allergic to the colorant the salon uses in my hair. When I say I have sensitive skin, I kid you not. But maybe I will concede and use Deet on my legs and ankles in the evenings. I certainly don't want any mosquito doo doo on me.

I too have sensitive skin. I completely understand when you say you are becoming alergic to your hair colorant. My scalp reacts to it too, but I would rather have a reaction every 6 weeks and premature grey hair. And my God, just the THOUGHT of rubbing a Bounce dryer sheet on my skin makes me itch. I can't even use that stuff in my dryer, let alone apply it directly to my skin.

I would absolutely try the garlic and B12 to make the damned things stay away.

I don't know about the catnip oil - with sensitive skin it might be a disaster.

Hey starrs. The issue will still have to be dealt with when we return. I made my decision -- I'm going. Life's too short not to. But there is some good news, I won't be needing to take the drug my MD gave me!! There is a God and the rest I'm just putting on the back burner until we return. The only uneasiness about this trip is leaving my sons behind.

J, I hear ya! My dear aunt has the same problem except she can't wear anything black -- allergic to black dye of all things! Now if that happens to me, I'll need to do some serious shopping, lol.

I see a Fodorite lounging in a Portugal cafe, shot of vinegar on the table in front of her, wearing LLBean and Bounce haute couture, kittens at her feet rolling around in bliss. No mosquitoes for miles around.

I just wanted to add, I have tried alternative products in the past and they didn't work at all. My husband is big into the "no DEET" thing and he's bought all sorts of stuff. None of it worked for me. I tried the Avon Skin So Soft repellent and the mosquitos simply complimented me on my soft skin as they fed away....

In addition, I'm the type of person that if there's a group of 20 people standing outside and only one gets bit, it will be me. I just attract mosquitos!

So I was delighted to find an "alternative" product that actually worked. I wish it was less expensive so people could try it without invest $20 (I think that's how much it works out to be with shipping). Plus, it smells nice.

Avon Skin-So-Soft lotion is supposed to repel mosquitoes. My sister always used it on her horses and it worked.
Another thought about the Deet repellents, I always spray them on the outside of my children's socks, shoes, and on the back of their shirts, never on their skin. It worked just fine and the kids didn't absorb any of the chemical into their skin.

I love this thread...I have a MAJOR reaction to any kind of creature-bite. Best example: I was at a hotel, in Sag Harbor, Long Island the night before my wedding...of course, some kind of wicked, evil, blood-sucking cretin went to town on my left arm (you know, the same arm that's attached to the hand where the wedding ring goes), and my entire forearm was as big as a freakin football...you can even see the major blotation on the cover of our wedding DVD. No matter what I use, nothing helps because A. My skin is so sensitive B. My skin is SO dry that I need oil-based moisturizers that bugs find o-so-sexy. and C. I think bugs just like me. I haven't gotten any major swellings since Sept. '05 (which, wonderfully enough, included my entire right eye) but...that's my story. Thanks for listenin'.

Remember that none of this stuff works if you then go and bathe with lavender soap while washing your hair with fruit scented shampoos. The bugs in my neighborhood recently voted kiwi-strawberry as their favorite with pina colada a close second. Head and shoulders tends to keep them at their distance.

The way I read your post is that you are allergic to the BITES, not the spray.

Deet is the time-proven best bug repellant. If I were you I would spray a repellant containing Deet on my clothing, hat, etc. and then a lesser amount on my exposed skin. Usually if you get enough on your clothing, they don't come near you. Some newer repellant models do not smell like a chemical factory.

All sorts of natural and alternative repellants have been touted here and on on-line holistic health forums. I guess they work for some people, but if you are like me and bugs love you and then you react horribly afterwards, go with the Deet.

In my opinion, if you do not we will al get to hear about your bug sagas when you return - do you really want to experiment with vinegar, bracelets, lotions and potions on vacation? If you can try them out at home first, perhaps.

I have tried the vinegar thing, the bracelet and Avon Skin So Soft and still I was bait.

I was also going to mention spraying the clothing and not your skin with the strong stuff (Deet). It works particularly well on sneakers/socks, and on hats. It's also very effective on the upper back between shoulders.

Avon makes a SSS suncreen that contains the softer version of bug repellent, and I've found that very effective. I like that since you only have to apply one product in the morning.

Those fruit-scented shampoos attract bears too I have a family member who washed her hair before bed one night during a camping trip and woke up in the middle of the night to find a bear sniffing her head. Swear to God.

Well I use unscented everything, so mosquitos love me for my natural scent, lol. There is only puzzlement though...all of these repellents have some sort of scent to them - hmmmm? Won't that *attract* the little buggers?

My head is spinning now from so much information!!

I have to make the *right* decision so Gail doesn't have to hear about my bug bites anymore.

seetheworld - I will be happy to hear about your bug bites, really. Since you and I seem to have similar reactions to bugs that bite no one but us, we can be the ultimate science experiement for all the remedies listed above.

How about each of us spray one limb with something and go someplace really buggy (a jungle, Costa Rica, my backyard after all the spring rain), and then we will both know for sure what is bugging us.

Have a good trip. Let me know if there really are giant bugs in Portugal so I can cross that off my list of places I want to go.

Thanks for Buggspray, eagar to give it a try for annoying bugs when gardening. I have a serious problem from yellowjacket stings and keep my epi pin near, does Deet repell the wasp family at all? Please be sure your tetanus shots are boosted up to date, some say every five-others every ten years. Tetanus can follow some bug bites/stings. Also, please know how to treat for yourself, I have been so shocked in emergency rooms how they have not known what to do for serious tick, spider and wasp problems. Thank heaven for the internet!
Have a fabulous trip!

Gail, I'll let you know if you should cross Portugal off your list. I hope not!

Thank you everyone for your suggestions, I truly appreciate them!

Since I am becoming more allergic to bites as time moves forward, I have decided to go the Deet route. It's only for a short period of time and I certainly do not want to have any problems while in a foreign country!

Little did I know that repellents come unscented -- which I prefer.

I picked up the Deep Woods Off wipes and the regular Off for my clothing.

I'll let you know how it all turns out (whether you want to know or not, LOL).

In addition to a deet insecticide on your skin, you may also want to use a permethrin spray such as FiteBite on your clothing. I have travelled to several malaria-prone regions in the last few years and take bite prevention seriously. You can read more about permethrin and purchase a variety of travel products here:http://www.travmed.com/
The site also has all sorts of links, including to state department advisories, visa requirements, CDC travel guidelines, etc.